title: Intravitreal ranibizumab for symptomatic drusenoid pigment epithelial detachment without choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of our study was to evaluate the functional and anatomic outcomes of intravitreal ranibizumab for the treatment of symptomatic drusenoid pigment epithelial detachment without choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, single-center, uncontrolled, interventional pilot study. Six consecutive eyes (six patients) with drusenoid pigment epithelial detachment with a visual acuity of 20/63 to 20/100 and no evidence of choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration participated. Patients were given at least one intravitreal ranibizumab injection and were followed for a mean of 66.67 ± 10.3 weeks. Main outcome measures included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measured by Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study charts and optical coherence tomography, and central macular thickness measured by optical coherence tomography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean number of intravitreal ranibizumab injections was 3.0 at the end of follow-up. Regarding BCVA and optical coherence tomography, 33.3% of eyes gained between 19 and 21 letters of BCVA, with a median decrease in central macular thickness of 21 μm. There was a statistically significant difference between baseline and final BCVA (P = 0.046). There was a positive correlation between intraretinal fluid by optical coherence tomography and improved BCVA after intravitreal ranibizumab. Metamorphopsia disappeared completely after the first injection in all subjects, with no further recurrences. No patient developed choroidal neovascularization or atrophic changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravitreal ranibizumab demonstrated anatomic and functional benefit in patients with symptomatic drusenoid pigment epithelial detachment without choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration. Further long-term, randomized, controlled trials should be performed to confirm our preliminary results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Universitario La Fe, Valencia, Spain;
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gallego-Pinazo
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marina
authors.lastname: Suelves-Cogollos
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Francés-Muñoz
authors.forename: J María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Millán
authors.forename: J Fernando
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Arevalo
authors.forename: J Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Mullor
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Díaz-Llopis